---
layout: docs
page_title: Okta - Auth Methods
sidebar_title: Okta
description: |-
  The Okta auth method allows users to authenticate with Vault using Okta
  credentials.
---

# Okta Auth Method

The `okta` auth method allows authentication using Okta and user/password
credentials. This allows Vault to be integrated into environments using Okta.

The mapping of groups in Okta to Vault policies is managed by using the
`users/` and `groups/` paths.

## Authentication

### Via the CLI

The default path is `/okta`. If this auth method was enabled at a different
path, specify `-path=/my-path` in the CLI.

```shell-session
$ vault login -method=okta username=my-username
```

### Via the API

The default endpoint is `auth/okta/login`. If this auth method was enabled
at a different path, use that value instead of `okta`.

```shell-session
$ curl \
    --request POST \
    --data '{"password": "MY_PASSWORD"}' \
    http://127.0.0.1:8200/v1/auth/okta/login/my-username
```

The response will contain a token at `auth.client_token`:

```json
{
  "auth": {
    "client_token": "abcd1234-7890...",
    "policies": ["admins"],
    "metadata": {
      "username": "mitchellh"
    }
  }
}
```

## Configuration

Auth methods must be configured in advance before users or machines can
authenticate. These steps are usually completed by an operator or configuration
management tool.

### Via the CLI

1. Enable the Okta auth method:

```shell-session
$ vault auth enable okta
```

1. Configure Vault to communicate with your Okta account:

```shell-session
$ vault write auth/okta/config \
   base_url="okta.com" \
   org_name="dev-123456" \
   api_token="00abcxyz..."
```

\*\*If no token is supplied, Vault will function, but only locally configured
group membership will be available. Without a token, groups will not be
queried.

Support for okta auth with no API token is deprecated in Vault 1.4.\*\*

For the complete list of configuration options, please see the API
documentation.

1. Map an Okta group to a Vault policy:

```shell-session
$ vault write auth/okta/groups/scientists policies=nuclear-reactor
```

In this example, anyone who successfully authenticates via Okta who is a
member of the "scientists" group will receive a Vault token with the
"nuclear-reactor" policy attached.

---

It is also possible to add users directly:

```shell-session
$ vault write auth/okta/groups/engineers policies=autopilot
$ vault write auth/okta/users/tesla groups=engineers
```

This adds the Okta user "tesla" to the "engineers" group, which maps to
the "autopilot" Vault policy.

**The user-policy mapping via group membership happens at token _creation
time_. Any changes in group membership in Okta will not affect existing
tokens that have already been provisioned. To see these changes, users
will need to re-authenticate. You can force this by revoking the
existing tokens.**

## API

The Okta auth method has a full HTTP API. Please see the
[Okta Auth API](/api/auth/okta) for more details.
